The National Intelligence Service says that a five-megawatt reactor at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex is operating as usual.

An official at the spy agency said that steam exhaust continues to be observed from the cooler, which happens when the reactor is running.

The official said that when North Korea shuts down the reactor in return for 50-thousand tons of heavy fuel oil aid and the release of its assets in Macao, the suspension will be confirmed by the absence of smoke eruptions and through inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.